Fuel Smarts

Departures Continue at Pilot Flying J

Recent departures of key people from the truckstop chain Pilot Flying J continue following the loss of its president earlier this week, according to published reports. Meanwhile, a federal investigation lingers in the background.

The latest to leave include Kevin Hanscomb, based in Nashville, who had the title of sales director, along with Joe Sigurdson and Ron Carter, both of whom worked remotely for the company and live in Canada, according to The Tennessean.

Two other employees, Karen Mann and Heather Jones, who worked as account representatives at the company’s Knoxville, Tenn., headquarters, were placed on administrative leave, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The other three were terminated, according to the paper.

The departures follow those of Mark Hazelwood, who was president, and Scott Wombold, vice president of national accounts.

Wombold’s departure was reportedly voluntarily and was not connected to a federal investigation into rebate fraud at the company, according to a statement from his attorney.

Several other of those who have left were named in previously released FBI documents related to the investigation, while others were supervised by those that were named in them, according to WBIR-TV.

None of the people who departed this week have been charged in the ongoing investigation since a federal raid on Pilot Flying J in April 2013. The company is accused of withholding rebates to trucking company customers from fuel purchases.

The investigation so far has resulted in guilty pleas from 10 other people, though none have been sentenced.

Pilot Flying J and Haslam have continued to deny any knowledge of the alleged scheme or that it did anything wrong.

Late last year it reached an $85 million settlement with about 5,500 customers, though it admitted no wrongdoing. Other litigation continues.